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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27119977">The Marvel SIMS</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DementedPixie/pseuds/DementedPixie'>DementedPixie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Demented Pixie's Buckystuckyfanfic [13]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Sims (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bucky Barnes Recovering, Marvel Universe, Post-Civil War (Marvel), The Sims, Video &amp; Computer Games</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:07:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,748</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27119977</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DementedPixie/pseuds/DementedPixie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's amazing what happens in the world of a computer game</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Demented Pixie's Buckystuckyfanfic [13]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1264823</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Marvel SIMS</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bucky Barnes had lost track of the number of times he’d woken up in a strange place, not to mention how many of those places had included cryofreeze chambers, but this… this might have been the strangest. </p><p>It was a house. Which in itself shouldn’t really be strange, but it was a very odd house. The light was bright, artificial, giving all the colours a primary intensity reminiscent of a child’s colouring book. And all the furniture had been arranged completely square, nothing was at an angle or in a corner. It was as if it had been placed on a grid system. </p><p>Also not unusual was that he couldn’t remember how he got here but still, he couldn’t work this one out at all. Was it a mission? Slowly, he started to explore, giving a quick glance back at the cryofreeze chamber shaped shower unit in the en-suite before moving out of the room where he had awoken. </p><p>Yes, this house was really strange, he thought, as he stared at the rainbow coloured escalator leading down to the ground floor. </p><p>He was just getting up the nerve to step on the moving stairway when a calm, steady, man’s voice echoed out around him. </p><p>A NEW SIM HAS BEEN UNLOCKED AND HAS ENTERED YOUR TOWN</p><p>Bucky froze, his hand clasped around one of the many knives he kept hidden about his person. He walked along the landing towards the front of the house and looked down through the arch shaped window, hardly able to believe his eyes. </p><p>Standing by the mailbox on the front lawn looking around him in utter confusion, was Steve Rogers. </p><p>******</p><p>LEVEL UP – A NEW SIM HAS BEEN UNLOCKED AND HAS ENTERED YOUR TOWN</p><p>“What the hell is this? I have never seen so much pink in one room before. Note to self, ask Pepper if she has something she needs to tell me.”</p><p>Tony Stark pushed himself off the cerise four poster bed where he, without explanation, had suddenly found himself. </p><p>“What the hell…?”</p><p>Trying and failing to channel his inner teenage girl he wandered out onto the landing of the house to try to get his bearings. He pushed open doors, one after another, trying to orientate himself. </p><p>“Hmmm. Nice suite of rooms, probably the master. And a separate family bathroom, two tubs, cute. Ah! An office with my name on it. Desk, Lab table, disco ball light… Perfect, but I need to see downstairs.”</p><p>Tony carried on chatting away to himself as he explored the opulent property. </p><p>“White leather always looked good in an L shaped sofa, I don’t know why I don’t have one. Oh wait, maybe I do now? I guess this is all mine? Stylish kitchen, although all this gold leaf is a little ostentatious, and what’s out here… Oh now that is what I call a pool.” He stopped, staring out across the vast grounds, suddenly unsure of himself. “Just what the hell is going on here?”</p><p>A NEW SIM HAS BEEN UNLOCKED AND HAS ENTERED YOUR TOWN</p><p>“Tony! Oh my God, Tony, where are we?”</p><p>Tony spun around to find his arms suddenly full of a slightly hysterical Pepper Potts.</p><p>“Pepper! Where did you come from?”</p><p>“I have no idea,” she hiccupped, not releasing him from the ferocious hug. “I don’t remember where I was before and suddenly I was just here, and you were there, and and and….”</p><p>“Pepper, sweetheart, calm down, please.”</p><p>“I know Tony, but what IS this?”</p><p>PEPPER POTTS HAS STARTED A NEW CAREER AS A POLITICIAN. SEND PEPPER TO WORK</p><p>“Tony! Who said that?”</p><p>“I don’t know, it may be an AI of some kind.”</p><p>“Tony!! Something feels really strange…”</p><p>Pepper pushed Tony away from her and stepped back before, in a totally involuntary movement, leaping up in the air, doing a full 360 degree turn and landing dressed in a totally different outfit. And then she was gone, leaving Tony grabbing at thin air. </p><p>“Pepper!”</p><p>******</p><p>“Bucky!” Steve, as ever totally ignorant of Bucky’s silent plea for personal space, rushed up to him and threw him arms around him, pulling him into a hug. </p><p>“Steve! Yeah, I know, it’s good to see you too, pal, but could you put me down?”</p><p>Steve’s brow wrinkled in concentration. “I’m trying, honestly I am, but I don’t seem able to. Oh!” Suddenly, precisely thirty seconds later, Steve’s arms released Bucky and they were able to separate. “I have no idea what just happened. Where are we?”</p><p>“No clue,” replied Bucky, pointing at the sleek tabby that was making its way over to them with a neon sign over its head that read “Peggy”. “But wherever we are I think we have a cat.” </p><p>LEVEL UP – A NEW SIM HAS BEEN UNLOCKED AND HAS ENTERED YOUR TOWN</p><p>“It’s happening again, but where?”</p><p>******</p><p>“I don’t understand why it’s snowing.”</p><p>Clint turned away from where he was busily trying to light the wood burner. “Really?” he said. “That’s what you get from this? We suddenly wake up in the middle of nowhere, no farm, no kids, no dog, just you, me and the biggest ski chalet I’ve ever seen, and all you can wonder about is the snow?”</p><p>Laura Barton was used to ignoring her husband and this she continued to do as she opened a door in the corner of the kitchen area. </p><p>“This has to be Cooper’s room. Look, there’s drums, a guitar, and I think it’s even soundproof.”</p><p>Clint fanned the flames he had managed to produce. “Great!” he called, “but where is Cooper? And before you find the rest of the bedrooms, where are Lila and Nate?”</p><p>A NEW TASK IS AVAILABLE. CLICK ON THE DOG BOWL IN THE KITCHEN</p><p>Clint stared at Laura who looked equally shocked. “What was that?” she whispered.</p><p>“I don’t know,” replied Clint. “And what does it mean by clicking on the dog bowl?”</p><p>******</p><p>“If this is my room, brother, I am not impressed.” Shuri wandered over the wardrobe in the corner and pushed the door to try to look inside. </p><p>“Well it’s not as if I had any input in the design,” replied T’Challa, as he crossed his arms and leaned nonchalantly against the wall. </p><p>There was a small flash of light and Shuri found herself dressed in a lumberjack outift. She pressed the door of the wardrobe again. Once more, a flash of light, but this time she was attired in a wedding dress. It took three more attempts before she finally settled on something that was a tiny bit similar to her usual style. </p><p>T’Challa rolled his eyes at her. “Quite finished?” he asked. </p><p>“Completely” she replied, smiling broadly at him. “Do you have any clues yet on where we are?”</p><p>“Some,” he admitted, moving to look out of the window. “See how the house is surrounded by a road on all sides but there is no traffic, and no other buildings the other side?”</p><p>“I do,” Shuri replied, joining him at the window. “Why is that important?”</p><p>“Because I’ve seen something like this before. I just can’t remember where.”</p><p>“Think, brother.”</p><p>“I keep getting one word,” said T’Challa, distantly. “Cityville.”</p><p>******</p><p>LEVEL UP – A NEW SIM HAS BEEN UNLOCKED AND HAS ENTERED YOUR TOWN</p><p>Scott was lying on the grass on his back, laughing hysterically as he tried to move his head away from the giant dog who was intent on licking his face in welcome.</p><p>“Hey boy! Okay, that’s great, thank you, pleased to see you too, but can we stop now?”</p><p>Eventually Scott managed to push the huge creature away, meaning that he was finally able to get to his feet. </p><p>“Where are we, hey boy?” A brown bone suddenly appeared and Scott picked it up and held it out to his new friend. “You want this? Course you do. Hey, what’s your name? Think I’m gonna call you Anthony.”</p><p>He watched as Anthony frolicked with the bone, suddenly realising he had no idea where he was. A park, with a lake, and a fishing pole, and two people in the corner doing the Tango.</p><p>“Hey Anthony,” he said, confusion on his face, “looks like we’re not in San Quentin anymore.”</p><p>******</p><p>Meanwhile, Tony was busy in his lab. He’d found a large cupboard that he had worked out had a button that he was supposed to press, but he was resisting. Thinking outside of the box, literally. Now on all fours with a screwdriver in his hand he was busily trying to take the button apart, something deep inside him telling him this was important. </p><p>Once he had a few wires exposed he untangled them, crossed them over and re-connected them. </p><p>Then, and only then, did he press the button. </p><p>In an instant, Pepper was back in the room with him, one hand over her mouth to hold in the squeaking noise she obviously wanted to make. </p><p>“In for a penny, in for a billion,” Tony muttered, shrugging before pressing the button again. </p><p>And again.</p><p>And again. </p><p>Finally, he stood up, wiping his hands down his jacket. He looked nervously around the now somewhat crowded room, as Pepper, Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers, Clint and Laura Barton, T’Challa, Shuri and Scott Lang, all stared back at him. </p><p>Steve moved sideways a little to avoid the glitter ball hanging from the ceiling, put his hands on his hips and spoke for the entire group. </p><p>“What the f…”</p><p>A NEW TASK IS AVAILABLE</p><p>******</p><p>Tony paused in his labours, glancing at the bush where he had hung his jacket and wishing he could take its place. </p><p>“I simply do not understand why I have to be the one shovelling horse shit,” he said, for the twentieth time. </p><p>“You know why,” replied Clint. “We have to clear the yard so that Laura can take on the horse riding hobby.”</p><p>“And we need her to complete the horse riding hobby so we each get a new jacuzzi,” said Scott. </p><p>“And if we all share the load we get it done in half the time,” added Steve, using all his considerable strength to lever a huge rock free.</p><p>The manure was so strong it was making Tony’s eyes water. </p><p>“But why did I get the repugnant share?”</p><p>Bucky sniggered from where he was carefully placing empty takeaway cartons into a huge refuse bag. </p><p>“Did you have anything to do with the job allocation, Barnes?”</p><p>“Bite me, Stark,” replied Bucky, turning his back. The neon sign over his head said two minutes. Tony’s neon sign said nine hours. </p><p>“Do you know who I am?” said Tony, throwing down his shovel. “I am Tony Stark. I am not a stable boy. I do not shovel shit.”</p><p>“Tony,” called Pepper from where she was helping T’Challa to repair the gate, “sweetheart, we don’t know what will happen if we refuse the task. Why don’t you take a break for a moment or two.”</p><p>“Because if I take a break, it’s for good. I’ve had it. There’s a full cocktail cabinet with my name on it back at my place. I’m leaving.”</p><p>Tony took a step away from his task.</p><p>WARNING. IF YOU CANCEL THE TASK YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE YOUR REWARDS.</p><p>He took a second step. </p><p>UPLOAD SAVE DATA, boomed the voice. </p><p>“Tony!” screamed Pepper.</p><p>ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO UPLOAD YOUR PROGRESS TO THE CLOUD? SELECTING “YES” WILL OVERWRITE ANY PREVIOUS UPLOAD ON THE SERVER.</p><p>“Brother!” called Shuri to T’Challa, reaching out to take his hand.</p><p>YOUR FILE WILL BE UPLOADED IN 10 SECONDS.</p><p>FIVE</p><p>“Stevie?” Bucky gazed up at Steve with a look of resigned dread. </p><p>FOUR</p><p>“It’ll be all right, Buck.”</p><p>THREE</p><p>“Laura, hold on babe!”</p><p>TWO</p><p>“Do you think we should call the Avengers?” asked Scott. </p><p>ONE</p><p>And it all went dark. </p><p>******</p><p>Steve paused in the doorway, almost forgetting about the two steaming cups of coffee he was carrying. Bucky, sprawled on the large sofa by the window, appeared to be the absolute definition of abject misery. His shoulders were slumped, his hair was flopping over his eyes, and he looked as though all his months of hard work in therapy since coming in from the cold had been for nothing.</p><p>“Buck?” asked Steve, tentatively. “You okay?”</p><p>Bucky looked up at him, his eyes dark and briming over. Steve had become used to this look but had hoped it had been consigned to the past. He braced himself, ready to find out which terrible memory had come back today to make Bucky feel like this. </p><p>The answer Bucky gave, however, was not quite what Steve expected. </p><p>“I got a new Starkpad.”</p><p>“Oh!” Steve joined him on the sofa, placing the coffee cups on the side table. “I’m picking mine up later. Is it good?”</p><p>“It’s okay, I guess,” replied Bucky, “but look!” He waved his old tablet in one hand while pointing at the new one with the other. “I can’t get my game to transfer across! I’ve had to de-install it from my old one and now I can’t get the Starkpad to recognise my account.  I’ve been working on this for months, Steve, I can’t lose it all now!”</p><p>Steve let out an inward sigh of relief. “Yes, I know it’s important to you.”</p><p>“Important?” Bucky laid both of the tablets on the seat between them. “I’ve got a whole world in here, Steve! Scott’s in the middle of winning me a Spanish villa, and I have four hours before I lose the prize that T’Challa has been working for the last nine days. That’s nine days of my life, Steve! Thor’s shift at the police station is going to end without me doing the upgrade and Peter Parker’s cat needs feeding!”</p><p>“You know,” replied Steve, carefully. “Maybe this is a good time to move on from the game. I know your therapist said it was good to have something relaxing to focus on but do you think maybe you’re taking this a little too seriously?”</p><p>“What?! No!”</p><p>“Okay!” Steve raised his hands in surrender. “It was just a suggestion.”	</p><p>“Well it was a bad one.”</p><p>“I’m sorry! But maybe, if you want, I could make another one?”</p><p>“Depends what it is.”</p><p>Steve opened his own phone and called up the Stark Chat Service. It took him a moment or two to find the person he had in mind, then he pressed Call. With a smile he moved closer to Bucky so that they could both appear on the screen, then waited for his call to be answered. </p><p>Bucky slumped next to him, obviously unwilling to accept that Steve could find the answer to such a technical problem. Until the chat finally connected and a face he knew well appeared on the screen. </p><p>Bucky smiled, nudging Steve in thanks. </p><p>“Hi,” he said, into the phone.</p><p>“I am Groot,” replied Groot, waving a branch at them both. </p><p>“Okay, I guess, but I can’t transfer my game to my new Starkpad. Any ideas?”</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>“The cloud?”</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>“Oh! Yeah I can do that.” Bucky grabbed the Starkpad and quickly navigated to the Stark Cloud where Groot was telling him his game would be stored. “So I just download it from there?”</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>Bucky moved his finger across the screen, following Groot’s instructions.</p><p>“It’s downloading,” he said. </p><p>“I am Groot?”</p><p>“8 minutes. It’s a big file. I guess I have been playing it a little too much,” he said, nudging Steve in the side again. </p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>“I don’t think so either.”</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>“Will do, buddy. Thanks. You really have no idea how much this means to me.”</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>“Yeah, I guess you do! Bye for now.”</p><p>“Talk to you later, Groot,” added Steve.</p><p>“I am Groot,” replied Groot, and signed off, the screen on Steve’s phone going dark. </p><p>Steve peered over Bucky’s arm to get a look at his new device. “Is it working?”</p><p>“Yeah,” admitted Bucky, in obvious relief. “Thanks, pal.”</p><p>“You do know this is the real world, don’t you? That the fake one is the one you’re currently downloading?” Steve had a glint in his eyes as he teased his friend. </p><p>“Is there a cryochamber in our en-suite?” replied Bucky.</p><p>“What? No!”</p><p>“Then this is the real world,” confirmed Bucky, placing the still downloading Starkpad back on the sofa while he concentrated on his newly designated task, one which involved tickling Captain America into submission until he called “Uncle”.</p><p>Some things even SIMS can’t replicate.</p>
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